Summary: Frail older adults who received nurse care coordination and a medication management pillbox had significantly better outcomes than did those who received no intervention. A more sophisticated medication dispensing system did not result in better outcomes than the pillbox. The clinical outcomes included quality of life, functional status, depressive symptoms, and cognitive functioning. The findings demonstrate the value of this nurse-led intervention in frail older adults with multiple chronic conditions.
Marek KD, Stetzer F, Ryan PA, Bub LD, Adams SJ, Schlidt A, Lancaster R, O'Brien AM. 2013. Nurse care coordination and technology effects on health status of frail older adults via enhanced self-management of medication. Nurs Res. 2013 Jul-Aug;62(4):269-78. PMID: 23817284